Fertilizer conditioner



Patented Feb. 16, 1954 FERTILIZER CONDITIONER Harry A. Dresser, Chicago, 111., assignor to zonelite Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Montana No Drawing. Application April 6, 1953, Serial No. 347,173

8 Claims. (Cl. 71-454) This invention relates to' fertilizer compositions and is particularly directed to anti-caking fertilizers and methods of producing the same.

Thepresent application is, in part, a continuation of my copending application Serial No. 188,281, filed October 3, 1950, and, in part, a continuation of my copending application Serial No. 275,245, filed March 6, 1952, both now abandoned.

Commercial fertilizers contain at least one of three main chemicals and may also contain minor quantities of others. The primary components of such fertilizers are nitrogen, commonly in the form of ammonium sulfate or ammonium nitrate or other salts high in nitrogen, phosphoric acid in the form of phosphate of one type or another, and potash in the form of potassium salts. These constituents are mechanically mixed to provide a uniform product and the composition checked and regulated as required, to provide such well known compositions as 5-10-5, 4-12-4 and the like. In such formula identifications, the figures between hyphens refer to the percentages of available nitrogen, P205, and K20, in that order.

One of the serious problems which prevails in: the fertilizer industry arises from the hygroscopic nature of such fertilizer compositions and results in the hardening and/ or caking of such products, which may occur at any time after the fertilizer components are mixed. If such caking occurs: before the fertilizer is bagged, it is necessary to mill the product. If it occurs after bagging the Whil such materials do have some beneficial,

effect in minim zing the caking tendency of such commercial fertilizers, they are not entirely suitable for a variety of reasons; For example the organic materials which are in common use are potential carriers of plant diseases. They must be sterilized before use to avoid such possible contamination, which involves an expensive and time consuming operation. In using some of the other conditioners such as rice hullsytobacco stems, or

, 2 peanut hull bran or humus,it is necessary to use from 50 to 200 lbs. With. a trend toward higher analysis fertilizers it makes it difficult to formulate high analysis grades of fertilizer when 200 lbs. out of a ton of fertilizer are made up of inert materials. Other suggested materials are of such a nature that they present a fire hazard, or may deteriorate in storage.

The present invention, is based on the fact that, certain forms of vermiculite have been found to be admirably suited for. fertilizer conditioning, and thatsuch composite fertilizers in accordance.

with the present invention are non-caking, sterile, free of fire hazard, inexpensive and easy to use. For this purpose I have found that the use of up to about 30. lbs. of exfoliated vermiculite in admixture with one ton of fertilizer not only maintains the fertilizer in a free flowing condition, but furthermore, improves the nutrient character of the composition. 3 H

The preferred form of vermiculite for use in my invention is exfoliated vermiculite, having a mesh of up to about minus A; inch. Larger size vermiculite may be used. However, if the particles are toolarge there is; danger ofsegregation. Smaller size particles have proven successful.

I have found that the use of up to about 30 lbs. of exfoliated vermiculite per ton of fertilizer, that is, up to about 1.5%, is at least as beneficial considering only the anti-caking properties imparted thereto,as for example up to about 200 lbs. of materials such as rice hulls, peanut hulls, tobacco stems andth like. Besides serving as an anticaking material for such commercial fertilizers, the exfoliated? vermiculite component thereof may be considered as an active ingredient of such fertilizer, in that, it adds magnesium, in acid soluble form, thereto. The importance of magnesium of course is that it is an essential component of chlorophyll, and additionally seems to b essential to the proper use of phosphorous by plants. Soils deficient in magnesium result in plants losing their green color and in developing slowly or not at all. Such a soil condition occurs in many different sections of the country and on many different'crops. The addition of extra magnesium to the soil through the medium of the fertilizer composition of our invention thus tends to minimize or may even eliminate such soil deficiency.

Besides the advantage of my fertilizer composition over those containing organic materials as heretofore mentioned, it is superior to compositions containing as conditioners materials such as sand andspent fullers earth, since the latter are apt to result in either segregation or, Where for example, fullers earth or other diatomaceous earth is used, the formation of a thick gummy mass which is olificult to handle.

4 and the like, to condition high analysis fertilizers, such as above set forth, it would be impossible to put in the amount required to do a satisfactory conditioning job, The present invention there- In accordance with one embodiment of my in- 5 fore plays a tremendously important part in facilivention the exfoliated vermiculite in the amount tatin the production of free-flowing, high an- Of preferably m abOut 19 to about 30 1105- D alysis fertilizers, and the resulting substantial 17011 of fertilizer, about o bout is mlXed saving to the farmer that such fertilizers eifect. with the ammonium or other nitr n n m- In addition to the foregoing, I have found that s Salts, p a es, and p t s 'U fmxture if the vermiculite, or at least a portion thereof, 15 then cured umll a swbstamll Fqulhbl'lum P be addedto the fertilizer after mixing and before been reached betvaeen the acld1c and alkaline bagging, the amount of vermiculite required to g fif f i i i z for I render the fertilizer non-caking may be substane foli ie g se fni o niite il rdanie wit li tl e 15 reduced Specifically I have found that h i 0.8 i of present mventlon substantlany mmlmlzes the :1ejm i litg to oi i'in e 'ci eg rtilizfr izri r lz gtel aforesaid curing period, thereby effecting a savt b v d t t ing in additional handling and storage space 0 5 a e O elmma or su Costa stantially minimize, caklng or hardening after By Way of further illustration the Said one bagging and that the addition of such amounts of embodiment of my invention there are set forth fertilizer priOl t0 is at least in the following examples typical formulations of as beneficial as the addition of twice as much fertilizer compositions, in accordance with my ve c te t t m i S invention. r I have further found that the desirable range Example A Pounds Materials Analysis Pounds N 532533 K10 Nitrogen Solutions (Commcr- 40.8% 345 C13 Sulfate of Ammonia 20.5% N 290 Superpl10sphate 20% PZO5.. 1,000 Muriate of Potash K2O 335- Exl'oliated Vermiculite M Total 2, 000

Example B Pounds Materials Analysis Pounds N 5255 Kg0 Nitrogen Solution (Commer- 40.6% N 166 67.396

018, Sulfate of Ammonia Superphosphate Double Superphosphate Muriate of Potash Exioliated vermiculite Total 2,000 79.00 479.84 241. 20

Example 0 Pounds Materials Analysis Pounds N 5553 3 K20 Nitgggen Solution (Oommer- 40.8% N 207 84. 45

Cl Sulfate of Ammonia 20.5% N 174 35.67 Superphosphate 20% P205 1,200 240 Muriate of Potash 00% 1120-... 400 240 Exfoliated Vermiculite 19 Total 2,000 120.12 240 240 It will be noted from the above, that the formulations set forth are of high analysis fertilizers. It is to be noted further that only from about 17 to about 30 lbs. of exfoliated vermiculite suificed to condition a ton of high analysis fertilizer. In this connection it is seen that if it were attempted of vermiculite addition after mixing and before bagging is from about 0.2 to about 0.8% or from 4 to 16 pounds of vermiculite per ton of commercial fertilizer. In one form or method of the second embodiment of the present invention, the total amount of vermiculite is added to the fertilto use such materials as rice hulls, tobacco stems izer after mixing and prior to bagging. In a second form or method, a portiomot-thevermi'culite' may be added to the sermizer during mixingand' the remainder may*bekadded after mixing and With respect-to the' second form or method ofthe present invention-{the addition of a small amountof-vermiculite to -the fertilizercompositio'n" during the mixing or 'ammoniating of the l fertilizerrendersthe fertilizersubstantially no'ncaking during storage and the'addition of a further small amount of vermiculite to the fertilizer composition immediately prior to 'bag g-ing improves the characteristics of th'e' fertilizer and renders-the fertilizer non ca-king after 'bagging.

compositionatthe mixing stage. In otherwords,

I have fonnd"'that approximatelyone-half the amount of*vermi'culite is required according to either form'or method of th second embodiment of mypresent invention as isrequired according 1 the vermiculite addition be" accomplishe'd 'immedi ately prior to bagg-ing.

According to the said second method, exfoliatedvermiculite in'the amount of fromabout 2 to about 8 pounds 'per ton offertiliz'er, 0.1 to 0.4%, is mixed with commercial fertilizer components. Themixture is thencured until a substantial equilibrium has 'been reachedbetween'the acidic and alkaline components thereof and it is then readyfor bagging: In connectionwith the curing,

I have found that the use of exfoliatedvermiculite in accordancewith the'pr'esent invention substan tially minimizes the aforesaidcuringxthereby effecting a saving in additionalhandling-andstorage space costs." However, if curing. be indulged in, 11 then: after" curing exfoliated *vermicu1ite= in the'amount preferably'from :alooni', 2 to 8 pounds per ton of fertilizer, 0.1 to 0.4%, is added to or mixed with thecured'fertilizer immediately prior to bagging to renderthe bagged'fertilizer noncakingJ By way of further illustration 'of'both methods or forms' of the second embodiment of "my invention; thi-i're are set forth in the followingto the first embodiment. examples typicalfformulations of fertilizer com- In". accordance with the said one methodof the positions in accordance with my iHVBIItiOhl- Example -D Pounds 'P'er 7 Materials Analysis Pounds N TonAvaiL. K10

. 1 able P105 I Nitrogen Solutions (C'oinmer- 0 cial .40.8%"N..;- Sulfate of Ammonia 20.8% N Superphosphate. P105. Muriate of Potash" %"Ka0. 33 Exfoliated, ver

TotaLJ Example E Pounds Per Materials Analysis Pounds N Ton Avall- K 0 able P10;

Nitrogen Solution (Commercial) 40.6% N..-.- 168 68.21 Sulfate of Ammonia..- 20.5% N...- 62 12.7 Superphosphate 20% P205-.. 550 110 Double Superphospha P105. 808 371. 08 Muriate of Potash 60% 1510.... 404 242. 76 Exfolioted vermiculite 8 Total 2,000 80.92 481.08 242.76

Example F Pounds Per Materials Analysis Pounds N Ton Avail- K,O able P105 Nitrogen Solution (Commercial 40. 8% N 207 84.45 20.5% N.-- 176 36. 08 20% P:O5-- 1,206 241. 2 60% KzO- 40g 241.2

Total 2,000 120.53 241.2 241.2

second embodiment of my invention, exfoliated vermiculite in the amount of preferably from It will be noted from the above, that the formulations set forth are of complete fertilizers.

about 4 to about 16 pounds per ton of commercial The present invention is not limited in applica- 7 tion to the formulation of complete fertilizers, but is equally adapted to the formulation of all commercial fertilizers, both complete, as including nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium, and incomplete, as including some but not all of the three elements recited. Accordingly, it will be appreciated that commercial fertilizers, other than complete fertilizers such as the 1040-10, 4-24-12 and 6-12-12 formulations set forth, may be formulated according to the present invention, such, for example, as -20-20, 0l4--14 and the like. The present invention is also applicable to utilization with fertilizer compositions supplying only one of the enumerated soil nutrients, such as ammonium nitrate.

From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that the present invention provides improved freeflowing, high analysis fertilizers, and improved methods for facilitating the production thereof.

I claim:

1. A free-flowing fertilizer comprising a commercial fertilizer composition in admixture with up to about 1.5% of exfoliated vermiculite.

2. A free-flowing fertilizer comprising a commercial fertilizer composition in admixture with up to about 1.5% of exfoliated vermiculite having a particle size of up to about minus one-eighth inch mesh.

3. A free-flowing fertilizer comprising a com- .mercial fertilizer composition in admixture with from about 0.2%

to about 1.5% of exfoliated vermiculite.

4. A method of producing a free-flowing fer-' tilizer which comprises the step of adding up to about 0.1% to about 0.8% of exfoliated vermicutilizer which comprises the steps of first mixing from about 0.1% to about 0.4% of exfoliated vermiculite with a hygroscopic mixture of salts containing available nitrogen, a phosphate, and potassium, and thereafter, mixing from about 0.1% to about 0.4% of exfoliated vermiculite with the mixture resulting from the first step, the second step immediately proceeding bagging of the fertilizer.

8. A method of producing a free-flowing fertilizer comprising the steps of mixing from about 0.1 to about 0.4% of exfoliated vermiculite with a hygroscopic mixture of salts containing available nitrogen, phosphate and potassium, storing the mixture resulting from the first step, and adding from about 0.1 to about 0.4% of exfoliated vermiculite to the stored mixture, the latter step immediately proceeding bagging of the fertilizer.

HARRY A. DRESSER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,008,469 Prince July 16, 1935 2,113,523 White 1 Apr. 5, 1938 2,240,859 Rice H May 6, 1941 2,341,800 Martin et al Feb. 15, 1944 

1. A FREE-FLOWING FERTILIZER COMPRISING A COMMERCIAL FERTILIZER COMPOSITION IN ADMIXTURE WITH UP TO ABOUT 1.5% OF EXFOLIATED VERMICULITE. 